The 10 Best Hotels in Phuket, Thailand
A curated list of the absolute 10 best hotels in Phuket for a bucket-list stay
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Phuket is the darling of Thailand for a reason. Drawing in around 14 million visitors per year, the largest of the Thai islands isn’t losing its title anytime soon. The interior is an expanse of rolling hills, cloaked in tropical rainforests and dotted with towering palm trees. Crescent shaped beaches and vast stretches of sand cover it’s 130km coastline, while the neon-lights and pumping music of Patong throng with the buzz and raucous nightlife that Thailand is so famous for. Scattered along these shores you can find some of the most beautiful hotels in the world, where first-class service comes with a backdrop of twinkling turquoise seas and powdery sand. These are the 10 best hotels in Phuket that will make any trip here unforgettable.
The Surin
Here you’ll find 109 villas, cottages and suites tucked into coconut groves on Pansea Beach in western Phuket. The calm interiors of The Surin are the best in understated luxury, with crisp, white wood paneled walls, rattan chairs and expansive windows with uninterrupted views over the Andaman Sea. There’s no elevators here – instead, the resort gently unfolds over the landscape down to the golden private beach below, via gentle slopes and winding pathways. 40 minutes from Phuket Town and 30 minutes from Patong, this is the place to flop down in a hammock and unplug from the outside world for a while. The excitement isn’t too far away if you need it, but here, you’re in a Thai paradise of your own.
Amanpuri
Few places are as beloved, or as iconic, as Aman’s very first resort in Phuket. Opened in 1988, the resort is a collection of private villas and pavilions on its own secluded peninsula in the west of the island, overlooking twinkling turquoise seas and shaded by swaying coconut palms. Outdoor terraces, private pools and expansive rooms with dressing areas await you at Amanpuri – a place to truly detox from modern life and let the rhythms of Thailand sweep you away. Take part in their holistic wellness classes, enjoy complimentary daily afternoon tea, laze on your own white sand beach and feel as though you have Phuket all to yourself. Privacy, time and freedom are the ultimate luxuries, and here, you have them in abundance.
Aleenta Phuket
We’ve all heard of (and love) a swim-up bar when on holiday, but Aleenta provides you with your own swim-up room. A luxurious, modern resort located just 20 minutes from the airport, Aleenta prioritise privacy and outdoor living, where even the smallest rooms are beautifully spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows and direct pool access. Fronting onto the idyllic Naitai Beach on the west coast of the island, you are guaranteed to be treated to some of the best sunsets of your life. A proud member of the Pure Blue Foundation, Aleenta have been single-use plastic free since 2018, and have recently been awarded the prestigious Michelin One Key award. If you can drag yourself away from your room, indulge at their award-winning spa, where you can enjoy an Ayurah crown chakra massage, detox in Asian white mud and experience a traditional Nuad Thai. It’s heavenly.
COMO Point Yamu
This meticulously crafted, beautifully designed hotel lies on the eastern side of Phuket. While most resorts cluster on the western beaches, COMO Point Yamu provides guests with enviable views over the dramatic limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay, home to the famous Phi Phi Islands. Lounging on the terrace beneath twinkling fairy lights, you’ll feel as though you’ve discovered your own hidden gem – a snug bolthole that encourages you to disengage from the hectic modern world. Calm interiors are accented with turquoise blues (to represent the ocean that surrounds you) and burnt oranges (to represent the traditional robes worn by Thai monks). Indulge in delicious food at one of their three bars and restaurants, learn how to fight Muay Thai style and take guided hikes out into Phuket’s wild forested interior.
Sala Phuket
The Sala Phuket is Thai elegance and luxury at its finest. Its serene location on Mai Khao beach provides it with a laid-back beach vibe that still manages to feel sleek, modern and timeless. White-washed rooms, tiled floors and linen draped bathtubs await you on your arrival, with expansive and spacious common areas that blend the boundary between the indoors and nature. Gaze at the ocean views, lounge on the beach, sip cocktails by the pool and feel completely revitalised. Enjoy farm to table dinners from their home-grown SALA farm, take part in Thai cooking classes, and for when you feel ready to leave the resort, charter your own private yacht into the breathtaking water of Phang Nga bay. Does it get much better?
Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas
Nestled at the northern edge of Mai Khao Beach and on the edge of Sirinath National Park, this beautiful, idyllic retreat is one of the most beloved on Phuket island. Modern and luxurious, its design still retains serious nods to Thai architecture and design, from the pointed roof pagodas to the Batik-printed fabrics and the on-site lotus pond. Arrive here, and there is no doubt that you’re in Thailand – and that’s before you’ve stepped foot outside. The private beach is an expanse of golden sand, lapped by the turquoise Andaman Sea and fringed by swaying coconut and pandanus trees. Villas come with their own espresso machine and wine cellar, while the ultra-luxe, glass fronted Treehouse is the place to catch the sunset, suspended around a Banyan tree and serving up the best omakase and sake cocktails on the island. This is what Anantara does best – understated, unparalleled luxury.
Six Senses Yao Noi
Not technically in Phuket, Six Senses Yao Noi is as close to a Robinson Crusoe experience as you can get in Thailand. This is a luxurious escape nestled in the heart of Phang Nga Bay, undoubtedly one of the most mesmerising landscapes on earth and only a 45 minute boat trip from Phuket. Thatched bamboo huts are tucked into 24 acres of undulating coast, with linen draped sun beds, tranquil infinity pools and private villas dotted amongst the landscape. Away from the noise of Phuket, Six Senses is the epitome of an island escape, one where you can roll out of bed in the morning and into your own private pool, as the sounds of the jungle come to life around you. Your own personal butler will attend to your every need, before ending the evening with a movie screening on a private beach, the cinematic landscape of Phang Nga bay surrounding you.
Keemala
Everything about Keemala is like something from a dream. Circular, luxurious tree-houses seem suspended in the forest canopy, a waterfall cascades into the swimming pool and the Mala spa is an enchanting sanctuary surrounded by mist-clad jungle. Yet despite the serene tranquility, you’re only a 15 minute drive from Patong. The resort’s villas and tree-houses are built into the landscape, each with their own private pool, outdoor terrace and views out towards the ocean. Enjoy a sacred spa journey of ritual treatments to revitalise your mind, body and soul, before indulging at Mala Restaurant, where organic produce is grown in Keemala’s Enchanted Garden. If you can, book a Bird’s Nest Villa, which comes complete with a hand carved stone bathtub to soak your worries away, as well as your own private pool suspended above the forest below.
Trisara
Traditional terracotta pointed roofs pepper the forested landscape here at Trisara, where private villas are nestled in-between centuries-old ficus and coconut trees. Here, in the north-western corner of Phuket, life takes on a slower, more idyllic pace than the frenzy of the south. There are fewer than 100 villas and suites here, all with private terraces and only a short stroll onto a private, golden sand beach. The rooms are warm, spacious and sleek, with Thai teakwood accents, wooden floors and muted, crisp linens. A stay at Trisara goes beyond the cliches of turquoise seas and sand though. Enjoy a trip to the local market at Pru Jampa Farm, explore the off-shore rock formation of Koh Weao or snorkel in the coral reef that fringes the bay. This is the kind of peaceful escape you dream about when you’re back home.
V Villas Phuket
Perched on a hill-top overlooking the glittering Andaman Sea, V Villas is an exclusive and luxury collection of only 19 villas, where privacy and indulgence come as standard. Each villa comes with its own pool and uninterrupted views out the incredible floor to ceiling windows. Sleek, refined interiors accented with Thai art greet you inside, along with luxury amenities such as Bose soundbars and Dyson hair dryers. Gaze out over catamarans anchored in the bay below and the rolling, jungle-clad hills of Phuket from the expansive infinity pool. A personal butler is on hand to attend to your needs, should you need to arrange a floating breakfast or perhaps some in-villa private dining. And come nightfall, there’s nowhere else to be but at Akoya Star Lounge, a rooftop bar serving up world-class cocktails and gastronomic tapas while a DJ spins some tunes.
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